Anti-Bullying Month (October)

Apparently, October is anti-bullying month, and that is something very close to my heart. I was teased as a kid, as I'm sure most people have been at some point in their lives, and you find that as you get older, things that you thought you had once forgotten, still hang over your head to some degree. Some people have better ways of dealing with it than others. Some kids can laugh it off, while others turn to drugs and alcohol, because the pain is too much to bear. And then there are those in the middle, who are just trying to make it through the day, being themselves, without getting ridiculed for stupid little things.

We live in such a cruel world today that focuses on the things that we all do wrong, rather than focusing on what we've done right. Instead of building people up, we all tend to focus on the negative, whether it's about ourselves or the others around us. There is so much hatred, whether it's some stupid comment on the internet or something that is said or done in the hallway at school. It just simply needs to be stopped. Actions need to be taken to get rid of it. Schools and administrative leaders need to step up and do something about it, whether there is enough money in the "budget" or not. This is a matter of life or death. People don't do anything about the warning signs, until a major ordeal happens. Then, they try to act concerned, like "What? No one informed us ahead of time..."

My heart breaks for those kids that are dealing with hate crimes, being teased, or whatever else they might be experiencing in school these days. I've had those moments where I really didn't want to go to school, because I was worried I was going to get picked on for my weight or my hair or the clothes I decided to wear. Everyday, it seems like there is yet another story about bullying or another suicide, because a child or a teen or a young adult didn't think their life even mattered anymore. We have to let them know that it DOES. No matter what those certain groups of people are telling them. "That pain in your chest; it goes away, it gets better."

I saw an inspiring video from a news anchorwoman yesterday (that I'm sure will be viral pretty soon), that inspired me to write this. In her video, she talks about dealing with a hurtful comment that someone made to her through the internet about her weight, but from there, she stands up for herself, calling this person out on the air. It's a beautiful thing. She encourages others out there to not give those people the power or satisfaction of their opinions.

Here's the link:
http://www.upworthy.com/bully-calls-news-anchor-fat-news-anchor-destroys-him-on-live-tv?g=4&c=mrp1

We can all help in this "Say no to bullying movement," even in little ways. It can be helping someone out with a task, giving a smile to someone in the hallway or on the street, or standing up for someone that you know is being picked on, and call the bully out, as scary as that can be. We can all do our part. I'd love to get involved in an organization that helps out with causes like this, so we can put the bullies to shame and change this world, back to a little more of what it used to be, when people looked out for one another. I want to make a difference.

That's all for now,
Shelby

Last Dodger Game Of The Season

Sunday, after just getting home from South Carolina pretty late the night before, we went to our last game of the Dodger season. It was also fan appreciation day, which meant giveaways! I was able to sleep in a little, but since I was still on Eastern time, I woke up a little earlier than normal. We hung around the house for a bit, then started getting ready. My mom also called my aunt to see if she wanted to go to the game with us, which was cool!

I think it was somewhere around 10 when we actually left; stopping by Jack in the box and the bank first. And off we went! We made pretty good timing, and it wasn't too busy when we got to Dodger Stadium, so we went inside the stadium, and decided to head down a couple levels. We made it to the suites level, and were about to get on the escalator to go down again, when we walked past this bigger guy with a Dodger hat on. Seems pretty common, but as soon as I looked at his face, I could've sworn it was Eric Stonestreet of Modern Family. I had to do a couple glances, because it seemed like he's lost weight, and he looked a little different. I tried to get my mom's attention, but she had already gone down the escalator. We waited a second, and once we got down I told my mom and dad I thought that was him. Well, just as we were trying to go back up, so I could ask for a picture, but right about that time, he walked onto the escalator we had just come down, and walked right into a special entrance to get down to the field. Go figure!

We headed out towards the field level, and just hung out for a few minutes, seeing who all was out there. We did get a wave from Eric Stonestreet. We were hoping he'd walk by us to leave, so I could get a picture, but he went off another way. My aunt and I thought he might come out the same way he'd gone earlier, so we waited by the door for a few minutes, and I thought my parents were right behind us, but they had stayed behind. They came up a few minutes later, saying that he walked right by them. There went my shot...PATIENCE. Sometimes if you just let things happen naturally, they work out a lot better.

We decided to go back upstairs to the Stadium Club, where we had reservations for lunch. On our way there, we happened to see Nancy Bea, who is pretty popular amongst Dodger fans. She's the pianist, and does all of the little jingles throughout the game, so I thought that was pretty exciting. We only had to wait about ten minutes, seeing as the other people in front of us wanted to tell her their life story! Eventually, I got a picture with her.

We made our way down to the Stadium Club, and it was packed! We actually didn't have to wait long, though. They took us out to a table on the patio, with a view overlooking the field. Our waiter was quite the jokester; he acted like he was going to take my aunt's camera, and was messing around with us the entire afternoon. We grabbed some food, and I think this had to be the best selection out of the past three years that we've been going. There were a lot of different salads, pastas, fruit, dodger dogs, meat, and cheese/crackers to choose from. I filled my plate quite a bit. For as much as they charge, you definitely want to get your money's worth. It was tasty, though. It was such a fun time getting to hang with family, stay out of this crazy California heat wave, and root for the Dodgers one last time. I started feeling really sick about midway through the game, and that was no fun...But, I drank some water and started to relax a little more. Unfortunately, we didn't win anything...But, on the bright side, the DODGER'S WON! And in the end, that's all that really matters ;).
As we were walking out, to get on the elevator, my mom was like, "There's whatshername...", so I glanced over in the direction that she was nodding. "Oh, that's Misty Mae Treanor!" I replied back. At first, I was just going to let it slide, but then I was like NO WAY...she just won another gold medal, I had to get a picture with her. She's a beast on the volleyball court, and it was cool that the olympics had just ended not too long ago. She was talking with an older couple...Possibly in-laws? I'm not sure. I hated to interrupt them, but I thought I'd just say her name to get her attention. I asked her for a picture and she seemed pretty hesitant, like she might not like being bothered, but she said, "Sure," and I thanked her. I can totally understand how hard it must be, being recognized everywhere you go or just not feeling like it some days. So, I was very appreciative that she did the take the time for me.

After the game, we stopped at Wal-Mart in Valencia, so I could pick up the new Katy Perry movie, which I was SO excited about.

Then, we headed straight home, because we had a lot of stuff to take care of before Monday. It was weird driving down the freeway when the sun was still out, because it's usually midnight when we're on the road. It was a nice kind of different. I'm going to miss going to the games so much! I have had such a blast this season, and have also gotten to see quite a few celebrities, which was fun! Just another reminder of how much I love LA. Good times, good times. Hopefully, we'll be able to make many more memories next season.

That's all for now,
Shelby

Blown Away Tour Review By Rebecca

My friend, Rebecca won a contest which allowed her to spend the weekend in Nashville to see Carrie Underwood. Here's what she had to say-- If you don't want to hear about the show or see any pictures...Close your eyes and keep scrolling ;) LOL. 

(SIC) Okay, so I didn’t actually spend a whole weekend in Nashville with Carrie Underwood. But I did spend my Saturday and Sunday down there with my friend Sarah, exploring the city for the first time and seeing the Blown Away tour on September 24th! 

Lets rewind -- In August, the Olay facebook page announced a contest to win a 3 day, 2 night trip to Nashville to meet Carrie Underwood at her concert. I figured I’d enter, but I knew there was no chance at all that I would win. I made a quick video saying, well, singing, why I was her biggest fan and pressed submit. A few days later, I had all but forgotten about the entry. And then I got an email. 

“Congratulations Rebecca! You have won the Olay Facebook contest grand prize to meet Carrie Underwood in Nashville, Tennessee!” read the first line of the message. I was at work and had to calm myself for four hours before I could finally realize what this meant. After countless hours of debating whether or not I wanted to go (I’d have to miss a day of class and taxes on prizes are a pain in the butt), I finally realized there was no way I couldn’t take this opportunity and fulfill two of my life goals: go to Nashville and meet Carrie Underwood. Carrie is one of my favorite people in this world and I’d only been hoping for the chance to finally get a picture with her! This was that chance. 

Now fast forward to September 22nd, and I’ll tell you about the actual trip! We got on a plane at 10:30am and after a layover in Philly, we finally made it to Nashville around 2. We were greeted in the baggage claim of the Nashville airport by our own personal driver, who drove us to our swanky downtown hotel in a shiny Escalade (it was awesome!). I felt like I was getting the star treatment, if only for a few days! We checked into the Sheraton in downtown Nashville and went up to our room on the 17th floor. Waiting for me on my bed was an Olay bag filled with Carrie swag! They gave me the poster I wanted along with a Carrie drawstring bag, which I LOVE, and a copy of the Blown Away CD, which I generously donated to Sarah because I obviously already have one! 

After freshening up, we wandered down to Broadway to explore a little bit. With little time and no hurried plans, we ended up walking up and down the exciting street for the rest of the night, stopping in each bar we could find to listen to the live bands! We mostly hung out at the Honky Tonk because we loved the band and the atmosphere! For dinner, we ate “the best burgers in Nashville” at the National Underground, owned by Gavin DeGraw and his brother! Then we wandered into another bar, Rippys, and listened to their band for the rest of the night. Around 10:30, we decided to call it quits and head back to the hotel to go to sleep! 

The next morning, we woke up early, enjoyed our free breakfast buffet from the delicious restaurant downstairs and then headed out the door to go tour the Grand Ole’ Opry! I was beyond excited to set foot in this important piece of country music history. The tour was everything I could have asked for and more. If you haven’t gotten the chance to take one, you get to see the inner-workings of the Opry, including the dressing rooms, mail boxes, and even set foot on the stage itself. And the best part? You get to take as many pictures as you want! You can’t go to Nashville without seeing the Grand Ole’ Opry! 

After the Opry and the gorgeous Opryland Hotel, we headed back to the hotel to freshen up and meet aspiring country singer Renee Blair in the lobby of our hotel! If you don’t know her name, you should probably learn it because she is going to be huge one day! She’s about to start recording her first album and it’s going to be amazing. Check out her inspiring story here (you’ll see what I mean once you watch the video) --->http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsC24mHBBwQ. And then head on over to her youtube page at www.youtube.com/reneeblairmusic and listen to her covers! Oh, and while you’re at it, be sure to follow her on twitter at @reneeblairmusic so you can be one of her original angels. 

Anyway, I digress! Renee met us in the hotel to chat and take pictures for a little. She is one of the sweetest people I’ve had the chance of meeting, and I’m so beyond happy for her in everything she does! She also brought along Dakota Bradley, who is also going to be huge! He’s releasing his first single in January, so watch out! Follow him on twitter at @DakotaBradley. And, not to mention he’s absolutely adorable! 

After taking a lot of pictures with Renee, we went to grab dinner at Demos and then it was time to get ready for the concert! We spent a decent (okay, a lot) of time making sure our hair looked perfect and then we headed downstairs to wait for the car to take us to the venue. Let me just tell you, it feels pretty awesome to roll up to Bridgestone Arena in the heart of music city and get out of a shiny black town car for a Carrie Underwood concert. You really can’t beat it. 

Once at the venue, we grabbed out pictures of Carrie to get signed and headed inside to find the Olay sponsor who would be escorting us to the meet and greet. It ended up being a group of 8 people, and we headed inside. Long story short, it took a while to get from the doors of the arena to the hallway outside the meet and greet room, but once we got there, the anticipation set in. We were told to get in the back of the line so that we could grab a group picture after everyone was done, so I had even more time to wait. Now, I meet celebrities quite frequently and I usually don’t get nervous. But I think the combination of Sarah freaking out, the waiting, and the fact that it was Carrie-freaking-Underwood made me very nervous. I had no idea what to say and I wasn’t ready. 

While we were waiting for the line to get shorter, three cool things happened that I’ll mention really quickly. 1. Hunter Hayes walked right by us and I fan-girled. 2. Carrie’s drummer and good friend Mark also walked right by us, and I fan-girled again (though no one else in the line really knew who he was). And 3. I met Carrie’s publicist Jessie. This was a big deal to me because she does all of Carrie’s publicity. I thought that was beyond awesome. 

So we finally got into the meet and greet room itself, and we had to wait at least another half hour until we finally got up to her. But the room was awesome! It was dark, with pink and blue lights everywhere and fake candles on tables. There was a TV playing Carrie’s music videos and performances for entertainment while we waited. And then there was Carrie. 

It was finally our turn and we rounded the corner and could see her. That’s when Sarah and I really started freaking out. Now, Sarah had never met a celebrity before, so she was star struck. But so was I. There was Carrie Underwood, looking gorgeous as ever, and I was about to shake her hand and introduce myself. 

And then I was up. (I’ll spare you the actual conversation because my lack of words was kind of embarrassing. So I’ll give a general summary of what went down). I walked over to Carrie and she put her hand out, so I shook it and told her my name. As she signed my picture, I told her I had won the Olay contest to come and meet her. She asked if I was from around Nashville and I told her we had flown in from Boston. I also mentioned how we go to Northeastern University and how I think it’s funny she went to Northeastern State University. She said the schools must be very different, with a bit of sarcasm. After that, it was time to take the picture. I really don’t even remember that part, but it turned out pretty good so I’m not complaining! 

After the picture, I told Carrie how my mom and I drove by Checotah (Carrie’s hometown) on our road trip, and how my mom wanted to go to the Sonic Carrie mentions in the song (I Ain’t in Checotah Anymore, for those who are unsure). Carrie rolled her eyes and said “I bet that was really exciting!” I laughed and then mentioned how my mom loves her and would kill me if I didn’t tell her that. She got really excited and told me to tell my mom thank you and “hi!” After that, I thanked her for the meet and greet and asked for a hug, and then it was over. Just like that. I was speechless. Did that really just happen? It was all a blur, and I wouldn’t have remembered any of that if I didn’t write it down in my phone right after. 

After Sarah and the rest of the group got their pictures, we waited to take a group picture but realized we were stressing out Carrie’s people, so we scrapped that idea. I was kind of bummed because they were going to let me stand next to Carrie again, and then upload the picture to their facebook page for the world to see! Oh well, I got one good picture with her! 

After the meet and greet was over, we ran to our seats and sat down right in time to see Hunter open the show. Having seen the tour in Bridgeport, CT the weekend before Nashville, I knew I was in for a treat and I couldn’t have been more excited. Now, I’m sure everyone reading this went to tour, so I won’t bore you with the details, but the show BLEW me away (no pun intended!). It was even better the second time around! I’m so blessed to have been able to participate in such a night! The energy in Nashville at Bridgestone Arena is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Everyone important to Carrie’s life and career, and country music in general, was sitting in that arena, and I was lucky enough to be there as well. I couldn’t have asked for anything more. Not to mention we were in the 13th row of the middle, front section on the floor. Amazing seats. And Liz Huett, Taylor Swift’s former back-up singer, was sitting in front of us! 

Needless to say, the show was beyond amazing and we had such a good time! After the show, we grabbed our pictures and our bags and we found our car and drove back to the hotel. After a long day and an even longer weekend, we crashed in our beds and fell asleep fast. The next morning, we had to fly back to Boston. While I wish we had had more time in Nashville, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience and I can’t wait to go back some other time and explore some more! Thank you Olay and Carrie for making that weekend one of the best weekends of my entire life! I’ll be seeing you again soon 

Hope you enjoyed this review and that it's getting you pumped up to see Carrie this fall. If you can't make it, hopefully it made you feel like you were there. If you'd like to follow Rebecca for more updates about her adventures in the future or her opinions on TV shows, follow her on Twitter (https://twitter.com/kanitydane1014)! 

That's all for now,
Shelby :) 

South Carolina/Wilmington Trip

Last night, I returned back to California after one of the most amazing and relaxing weeks I've ever had. It was so nice not really having much planned, except for a few specific things to sightsee, but other than that, we were just playing it by ear each day to whatever we felt like doing. There were so many wonderful moments, but a big lesson I learned throughout the trip is just to slow down. Whenever I've been in the south, I realize how different it is from California...Where we always seem to be in a rush for absolutely nothing at all. I wasn't as concerned with my phone, though I did post pictures and updated Facebook and Twitter statuses pretty often, I didn't feel the need to check it constantly. I was world's away, and whatever was going on at home, just didn't seem to matter as much. I still have homework that'll be do when I get home? "Eh, oh well..." And that was a wonderful feeling, let me tell ya, because I am a worrier by nature.

I could go on for pages and pages of all the details of every little thing (like I do in my journals), but I'll just give an overview of what we did each day:

Saturday: 

• Three flights- I watched A Walk To Remember, worked on a story, read a little, listened to music
• My aunt and uncle picked us up at the Myrtle Beach airport, then we went to our time share
• My mom, aunt and I picked up pizza and soda's at the grocery store down the street and hung out at the room

Sunday: 

• Had breakfast at Dunkin Donuts
• Drove to Charleston, where we spent the day
• Had lunch with my cousin and her family at The Noisy Oyster
• Went to the Charleston outdoor market
• Walked around Charleston practically all day; taking pictures and looking at all of the fabulous buildings. I was fascinated by all of the details on the buildings-It's such an artsy place! It was also a lot of fun hanging out with my family and exploring with them. 
• My parents and I ate at this restaurant called The Brewery, had gelato, and walked along the pier
• Drove back to Myrtle Beach (2 hour drive)
• Got a tweet from Austin Nichols

Monday:

• Drove to Wilmington (About an hour from Myrtle Beach) after grabbing breakfast at McDonald's
• Started looking for locations immediately after getting there-

1. River Court Park was first, and I honestly could have spent all day there. It was just like on the show, except for the basketball court not being there, obviously :( The view was gorgeous, and now I can see why they shot so many scenes there. Sure they aren't filming anymore, but as soon as I stepped foot onto the grass, I could tell just how special it was. All of the important monologues and dialogue that had happened there started running through my head. After that, the rest was sort of a blur, because we were all over town. (Wilmington is a lot bigger than I imagined)
2. Brooke Davis' house in high school, and the one her and Julian bought
3. Peyton's house
4. Jamie Sullivan's house from A Walk To Remember (Fun Fact: She lives on the same street as Haley and Peyton)
5. Naley's bench
6. Haley's house
7. A Walk To Remember alley (Where Jamie tells Landon she has Leukemia)
8. Dan Scott Motors
9. Keith Scott Auto Body Shop
10. Naley's new house
11. Karen's Cafe
12. Tree Hill cafe
13. CD Alley
14. Tric
15. The 6th street bridge
16. Lucas Scott's house
17. Dan Scott's house
18. Tree Hill High 
19. Screen Gem Studios-Where they filmed interior shots
20. The intersection where Lucas and Keith crashed in season one

• We had lunch at Chop's, which Austin Nichols recommended. It was a sandwich shop, which was really good!!
• Went to Edge of Urge (Where Joy and Sophia used to shop)
• Had ice cream at Kilwin's
• Walked along the RiverFront, which is right beside the Cape Fear River
• Drove back to Myrtle Beach

Tuesday:

• Spent the day in Myrtle Beach
• Had lunch on the pier
• Walked along the beach
• Debated on what we should do and ended up just driving around town, stopping at Sonic, 
• Shopped at the Tanger outlets
• Went back to the room for a little while
• Rode the Skywheel on the pier
• Had dinner at Carraba's, then went to a souvenir shop next door
• Walked around our time share-There was a big pond in the center of the rooms, a pool house, and other cool areas to check out. Looked beautiful at night...Just watch out for the cockroaches.

Wednesday:

• Round 2 for Wilmington-

1. Lakeshore Park (where Peyton and Lucas got married)
2. Went to Airlie Gardens (where several scenes of OTH and Dawson's Creek were filmed)
3. Nathan and Haley's apartments
4. Bellevue Cemetery (where Keith and Peyton's mom were buried)--The only time I will EVER voluntarily go to a cemetery and look happy about it. HA!
5. The Dixie Grill
6. We stopped at a couple of antique/thrift stores- The Bargain Box and The Ivy Cottage. Sophia Bush told me about The Ivy Cottage, and she was right, it is one of the best. They had a ton of really nice furniture, dishes, pictures, tea cups, etc. It was all pretty reasonable too. I wish we had lived closer, so I could buy more, but I ended up getting a jewelry box that was really cool!
7. Had lunch at The Reel Cafe, where a lot of the cast was spotted during the years of filming
8. Grabbed ice cream at Kilwin's again
9. Drove up to The Graystone Inn, where filming was going on for the new show, Revolution
10. Drove a little outside of Wilmington to the Orton Plantation (where Nathan and Haley were married, as well as Landon and Jamie in A Walk To Remember. Now, the plantation is closed to the public, so we just took pictures from the outside of the gate). 
11. Found the  "You don't know me" Peyton and Lucas spot. That was quite a funny story. It's right next to a swamp, with alligators...and my mom was freaking out that she didn't want to get out or get eaten by alligators, so we went back and forth for a couple of minutes of trying to get the picture. I eventually got in the exact spot they were in, because I wasn't going to have my dad drive all this way, to get in some random spot that meant nothing, right?

• Drove back to Myrtle Beach-We were going to go to the movies to see The Trouble With The Curve, but ended up going to the beach and having dinner at an outdoor shopping center that was right on the water. 

Thursday:

• We drove back over to Charleston for the day
• Took a tour of the Boone Plantation (used for several TV shows and movies, including The Notebook. It's also the place where Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds just got married a few weeks ago). It was gorgeous! The place went on for acres and acres, there were trees everywhere, crops, and a lot of great scenery to take pictures.
• We went just on the outskirts of Charleston, and found a lighthouse
• Saw the theater from The Notebook
• Had lunch at this restaurant, Magnolia, which was really good!
• Walked back through the outdoor market, so my mom could find a picture she saw the other day
• Saw the Angel Oak tree, which is the oldest tree known apparently. It goes back at least 1500 years
• Drove to Sumpter, where our family is to have dinner with them and to see their houses, since we haven't been back there since they moved. Makes me wish we lived closer to one another, so we could do things like that all the time. I don't get to see them as often as I'd like, but it's always a fun time when we do.
• We got back to the room around 12:30, and I was wiped out

Friday: 

• Our last full day in South Carolina, which made me extremely sad. I felt so relaxed and at ease back there, but we tried to go out with a bang. 
• Had breakfast at this little diner called Atlantis Pancake House
• Went on a dolphin watching boat! One of the most fun things I've ever done. It was perfect weather, and we were able to see a ton of dolphins, doing flips and swimming around. We even saw a bald eagle, though it took quite awhile to find it LOL. Plus, we were basically in two places at once, because we were on the state line of North and South Carolina (It was very A Walk To Remember, except Shane West wasn't there, and it wasn't quite as romantic as the movie. Still totally cool, though).
• We went shopping at this shopping center close by, a lot like the one we had gone to a couple nights before. Except this one had warnings about alligators. Luckily, we didn't see any. We grabbed some ice cream to hold us over, and went into a few stores! 
• Came back to the room to pack and get ready for dinner 
• Had dinner with my aunt, uncle, and cousin at Texas Roadhouse. It was so good! Plus, we hadn't eaten since breakfast, so that helped too.
• Came back to the room, and headed to bed pretty soon after, because we had to wake up at 4 or so. 

It was a trip I will never forget, in more ways than one. Now, when I read Nicholas Sparks' books, I can picture it all more and know what he's talking about when it comes to places. I came to a lot of conclusions that I want to be a traveling writer, whether it's visiting different states and writing in a different city, or just simply traveling, and writing about the scenery, restaurants and places to shop. I'd like to be the next Samantha Brown, because then I could do my journalism thing and get to see the world. Just some ideas I thought about! I always feel inspired when I travel; something about getting a new perspective on life and a change in direction.

That's all for now,

Shelby

P.S I'l be posting more pictures in a separate post! Stay tuned :)

That's A Wrap: American Idol Season 11 Tour

http://www.youtube.com/user/Channel19Network

The 11th season of American Idol ended back in May, but as soon as the show ended, the Idols hit the open road to tour the country, and even the Philippines. I am a HUGE fan of Idol, and have religiously watched since season one when I was only nine or ten years old. There have only been two times I can remember missing, and those were for legitimate reasons. Even if I was out of town, I would always find out the numbers of my favorites to vote. Anyway, there have been two seasons that really stand out to me (other than season four, for the obvious, Carrie Underwood) because of the impact they had on me and how much they inspired me.

The first was season eight. My grandma was in the hospital practically all of that season, with lung cancer, and she ended up passing away from it. But, during that time, Danny Gokey was on, and week after week, he helped me with the testimony of losing his wife right before his audition. He still had so much joy, and proclaimed his love for God. I knew that through my pain, I could do the same. It was like we were both going through that grieving stage together. Being able to tell him that he was one of my heroes the day of their concert in LA, and him coming back to give me a hug cheered me up in so many ways. If you don't think God has touched people with the gift of music to heal...Think again. It all goes back to the glory of God, but he gives people gifts like this to help others.

This time around, it's season 11, and I don't just say that because it was the last season, so it's all still fresh. I had so many incredible memories with this latest season, whether it was voting, talking about it with family and friends, or even running into them and attending the finale. I felt like out of all the seasons, this group was the closest to my age group. I could see myself being friends with most of them, if we were to meet each other on the street somewhere or at a concert. I related with Colton in his beliefs and his faith in God; his worship team background, and just having a dream. I related to Hollie with her quiet demeanor on stage, yet knowing that there's something great deep down inside, just waiting to come out. I related to Elise in her style, Skylar with her country girl ways, Joshua with his love for his family, and the list could go on and on. They are some of the friendliest and most humble people you will meet, and hearing stories of friends and getting to experience it myself, their families are just as amazing. To me, this wasn't just another "American Idol" group. It felt like they became my friends in a distant sort of way, and I'll be grateful for all the memories. If ever I could've been on a season of the show, this would've been the one I chose.

Tonight (or technically last night, seeing as they're in another country), was the last tour date of season 11. Normally, I don't get sentimental about the tour, but with this one it's a little bit tougher. They were always on Twitter updating how the show went, hacking each others technology devices, posting pictures, and just goofing around so much, that we were all apart of that experience with them. This is probably the last time that they'll all be on tour and sing together ever again. I'm sure they'll remain close, but nothing will bond them quite like this season did. I wish them luck in everything that they're all about to venture into. God has incredible plans for all of them, and I can't wait to see what they are.

My main reason for going on and on about how amazing they are is because Channel 19 started a video blog series on You Tube, showing more behind the scenes looks at the contestants and how life on the road is. Watching them interact with one another and getting to know them better as people, rather than just musicians is hilarious, awesome, and heartwarming! They all look like they're having so much fun together. If you were a fan of this season, I seriously recommend watching. You won't be sorry! I love them all even more than I did before. And I'm sure you will too.

That's all for now,
Shelby

It's The End Of The Summer

"This is our song
That's all that matters
'Cause we all belong right here together
There's nothing better than singing along
This is our summer
And this is our song
This is our song
This is our song
This is our song..."

(Camp Rock 2)

Today is the last official day of summer, which had me reminiscent on all of the amazing things I got to do this season! I had so much fun going to concerts, making new friendships, traveling, and just enjoying life spending time with some of my favorite people. That's what summer is all about...Youth and being in the moment; taking a break from the every day routines. The highlight of my summer was definitely Nashville. In honor of CMA Fest airing this past Monday, I thought I'd finally share my video of that week! Hope you enjoy the video and it inspires you to visit a city I love so much: Music City!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxIGxDpZzAc&feature=plcp

That's all for now,
Shelby

The Weekly Review

Phew! This actually has been a pretty busy week, getting last minute details together for our trip, and making sure I have all of my classes taken care of before we leave. Luckily, I won't be missing anything, and have already done what I need to. From here, it's all about relaxation. But, here's what the rest of the week looked like! :)

Monday:
I spent the day working on homework and that night, I got my hair cut! One of my good family/church friends cuts my hair, so it was great catching up with him. Then, it was time to re-live one of the best weeks of the year, CMA Fest. Although, somehow it's not quite as exciting as being in Nashville. I ended up fast forwarding through most of the acts. It was a really good special, and definitely highlights all of the reasons you should go.

Entered a contest to win a trip to the premiere. Sadly, didn't win!  :/ I wanted to meet Justin Timberlake!!!!! 

One of the newest judges of American Idol! I love him! He will be a fantastic judge. 

Packing! 

BUY THIS SONG WHEN IT COMES OUT...I KNOW I WILL BE!!! :)

Tuesday:

I went to my creative writing class, had lunch at home, then ran a bunch of errands with my mom. We recycled some cans and bottles, went to the bank, and got the car washed/oil change done. That was an interesting time, waiting at the car dealership. My mom and I walked around the lot, while I attempted to eat melty peanut butter cups, that got chocolate everywhere. It was funny, though. We came home, and got some stuff ready for the trip, and I did more homework. I didn't realize I had quite SO much. 

After my dad got home that night and we ate dinner, we decided to drive by the fairgrounds, since the fair is in town! We've had this tradition since I was really young, that we'd drive by the fair the night before it opened. There's something really exciting and magical about the fair, though I don't care if we go to ours much anymore. Maybe it's the idea of carnivals, like in a Nicholas Sparks book that I prefer. The dust kills my allergies every year. I am a little sad that we won't be able to make it this year, but South Carolina will definitely make up for that!

New hair cut 

I want this magazine!!!!

Reminded me of my best friend...she loves eyeshadow and superheroes! Perfect combo! 

"God put us here, on this carnival ride, we close our eyes, never knowing where it will take us next..."

Wednesday:

I devoted the entire day to homework, when I finally woke up at 11 or so, I believe it was. I also went biker riding, so I didn't go crazy!

My mom's so good to me. She made me coffee. 

This math sucks. 

Downloading podcasts for the plane! yay! 

Thursday:
Yesterday, I woke up much later than I usually do, but still had plenty of time to get ready. I went to my creative writing class, which was fine, because all we did was critiques on writing pieces from the students hadn't gone yet. It also had me brainstorming for what I should submit as my next work. I want to keep it simple, so there isn't much to say, but I am a tad curious to see what they think of my fiction or non-fiction. Decisions, decisions...
When my mom and I got back into town, we went straight to Target to pick up a few things. I got some makeup, then we grabbed lunch at Chipotle, and came home.
Last night, my parents were moving furniture around, while I tried to do some math, then we sat down to watch an episode of One Tree Hill. It was fun!

So frustrating. 

Paul Wesley on Jay Leno...Loved his interview!!

Countdown...1 day....

Friday:
I slept in a little, but wanted to get the day started, because I knew I had some stuff to take care of. I did my devotion, reading a little out of Psalms, and trying to feel rest. I've found that it's getting harder to let myself be happy again. I feel anxious, and I don't like the way that feels. I've been there before one too many times, and it's no fun. I had no idea how hard changing your mind set could really be. Anyway, I felt good after that...and spent a little time talking with my mom, watching The Today Show, and just hanging out. My aunt called, and we made plans for lunch with her. So, it was time to get ready. Which I did, while watching Beverly Hills 90210. I've tried watching before, but end up just making fun of the cheesiness...but, when I heard Dan Scott's voice, I was intrigued...It wasn't as bad as I thought.


My aunt got to our house, and off we went to lunch. After much driving around, and trying to decide where to eat, where we ended up going to Chic-Fil-A. My aunt and mom stayed in line, when I walked outside to grab a seat. It wasn't too bad out today, so I thought it'd be nice. As I opened the door, I went to step to my left and almost stepped on a rat...It was either that, or a big mouse. Either way, it really freaked me out. I just stood there, frozen, screaming my head out on the inside. The other ladies around me said they had already notified someone that it was there. It weirded me out a lot, not gonna lie. I ended up just taking a seat somewhere else, a little more in the sun, but I didn't mind. Finally, someone came out to take care of the little guy, and we carried on about our days. I then informed my mom and aunt of the story when they sat down. We ate lunch, talking about random things, then went over to CVS pharmacy so my aunt could pick up some things. We made one more stop at Wal-Mart for a few minutes, then headed home.

We were talking about Justin Bieber, Jennifer Aniston, and the like...What else is new? And things got interesting, when my mom brought up the video I had made for Ellen. My aunt was determined to find it on YouTube, because I didn't want to tell her anything about it. It was too weird! Haha. I barely wanted to do it for the group I made on Facebook, but they're hardcore Taylor fans and "tweeters", so I thought they could help me campaign. She thought it was cute, which made me feel less embarrassed about the whole thing, LOL. Then, we watched a couple episodes of Friends before she had to take off. It was a fun afternoon.

I just finished painting my nails, and the rest of the night will be packing, watching The Vampire Diaries, and getting pumped up for tomorrow! WOO! :)

TVD while I ride on the exercise bike!! What a workout...

Have a fantastic weekend all!
Shelby :)